Motion to Explore Establishment of Richmond Housing Authority

Thank You to Richmond City Council for APPROVING a motion to explore the establishment of a new Richmond Housing Authority last evening!

History in the making.

Watch Council Meeting Video at 26:00 mins!

Here is are my words delegated to Council for this motion:

"Good evening!

• Is this the right time to explore the creation of a Richmond Housing Authority?

o  If not now, then when?

• Richmond is going to continue growing per projected trends and with it the need for more and innovative approaches to housing

• The Federal and Provincial govts are over-burdened with this housing crisis and although they are putting time and money into various different programs, how can Richmond best coordinate these programs with the needs of various stakeholders

• While I appreciate Richmond is taking affordable housing seriously, such as through the establishment of the Housing Office, and this is no judgement or reflection on the work they are doing, Richmond MUST look to the growing future in more innovative ways! Whistler has. Vancouver has. And Burnaby is!

• RHA, being a city-owned corporation, could develop new rental housing on either city-owned land or new land that’s acquired.

• Some properties could be built in partnership with developers and, in some cases, the RHA could develop the rentals itself.

• Central to many housing authorities is to:

o  provide affordable rent (ie. rent at 20% below the CMHC’s median rate for an area),

o Increase accessibility to housing (ie. meeting a broader diversity of needs), and

o increase security for renters (ie. greater stability of cost; reduced involuntary, forced moves);

• the Burnaby Housing Authority is thinking bigger, with intent to create homes that would be 50% below market rents! That’s thinking bigger!!

• Let me touch on some of the benefits and a couple of challenges associated with local housing authorities:

Benefits

• Speed up approvals at municipal level

• Start projects earlier (while in application process for provincial and federal funding)

• Building for specific populations (middle-income families, seniors, people with disabilities)

• Offloading Council work to accountable body – devolve and delegate responsibilities while maintaining governance

• Get Councillors out of the “weeds” to reduce your growing workload with more focus on governing at the right level – how big is your ‘council meeting binder’ now?

• Provide for more creative and innovative ways to address housing options:

o Increased collaboration with stakeholders and more opportunity for their involvement (RPRC, developers, etc.)

o stakeholders have some very innovative ideas if we are willing to listen and try new ways!

• Provide more options to fund affordable housing projects

• Reduce reliance of Federal and Provincial bureaucracy to get projects going – reduce approvals and red tape

• Reduce homeless shelters and their associated costs

Challenges:

• Administrative cost to setting up

• Perception of “loss of control” within the City administration – experience with other city corporations already

I think it is time for Richmond to think bigger!

Take steps now to move Richmond into a better future on addressing diverse housing needs!

I ask you to explore the option of creating a Richmond Housing Authority to meet the moment of the housing crisis we face today.

YOU have the opportunity to lead our community into a better tomorrow!

Thank You"